West Coast

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, down the bumpiest of gravel roads, lies the Oparara Basin, home to a series of arches and caves amidst a wild limestone environment in Kahurangi National Park. Is it worth the journey? Keep reading to find out (although you’ve probably already guessed it is

There aren’t many DOC campsites (AKA cheap places to camp) on the West Coast, so if you want to sleep close to Fox Glacier / Lake Matheson and you’re on a budget you’d better head to Gillespies Beach. It also helps that it’s a beautiful place, with views of the

Somewhat overshadowed by nearby Franz Josef Glacier, Fox Glacier is definitely worth hiking to if you’re travelling along the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. You’ll hike through a scenic, glacier carved valley to a viewpoint close to the glacier. You can’t set foot on it (without joining a

Have you ever seen a photo on Instagram that inspired you to visit a place? Ever since I saw a photo of Mount Cook reflecting in the calm waters of Lake Matheson I’d wanted to see it for myself. There are two keys to a successful mountain reflection though —

The words “glacier” and “hot pools” don’t seem like they belong together, but this is the new age and magical things can happen when electricity is involved. Sitting there in your private hot pool, surrounded by rainforest, the mechanics of how your glacier fed pool came into existence will be

The 90 minute round trip walk to Franz Josef Glacier is one of the best short hikes in New Zealand. The track, which cuts through a glacier carved valley, has a few highlights, including three side by side waterfalls, the Franz Josef Glacier viewpoint and the elevated view from Sentinel

The long stretch of beach known as Bruce Bay is the perfect place to stretch your legs and grab a coffee while driving up the South Island’s West Coast. The beach itself is great, but the group of wind-worn trees at the north end give it that extra something special. If